Why the avocado toast trend is here to stay

We get it: Avocado toast has a reputation for being basic. There are as many fans as there are haters. But you know what? If basic is something healthy and damn good, we're fine with it. We absolutely love avocado toast.

But we’re not the only ones to dig the vegetal-tasting fruit spread on a slice of bread (there are currently at least 1.2 million hashtags on Instagram for the humble dish). You can find the ubiquitous avocado toast everywhere, from fast casual concepts to the fanciest brunches in town.

At Time Out Market New York, just turn to Avocaderia as a case study. As the world’s first avocado bar, it boasts the best avocado toast we’ve ever had—and we’ve tasted quite a few, actually more than a few. Here, expect your favorite avocado-based dishes, like the heaping, sumptuous toasts, as well as creative updates, such as a bun made from—you guessed it—avocado that’s healthful and fun to eat at the same time.

When Francesco Brachetti and Alessandro Biggi decided to open Avocaderia, the idea seemed a little crazy. An entire eatery devoted to a fruit you could find at your local bodega? But, one bite of their avocado toast, and we became true believers in Avocaderia. The heart of the idea wasn’t actually about the avocado as much as it was to give diners a healthy meal that didn’t feel like “health food.”

You don’t feel guilty when the avocado dish is fun and delicious to eat. The Avocaderia at Time Out Market will be the third location in New York City, and there you will find all the toasts, bowls and guacs that have had people lining out the door when they first opened. Highlights include the Burrata Dream (kale pesto, avocado rose, burrata, pistachio dukkah, black pepper, za’atar olive oil and balsamic vinegar on multigrain bread) and the My Thai (arugula, raw cabbage, carrots, bean sprouts, avocado, watermelon radish, cilantro and spicy miso dressing). And yes, there will be guacamole aplenty.

America’s obsession with avocados isn’t just a millennial thing, either. There's a Facebook video of Oprah making avocado toast with the ingredients harvested from her backyard for her magazine. At the ritzy five-star Mandarin Oriental hotel in New York, the breakfast features a $22 version. Besides toast, we’re putting it in our salads, sandwiches, shakes and everything imaginable. There was even an avocado shortage in 2016, which caused the prices to spike.

Other than the craving we'll forever order avocado toast because: we know what to expect, it’s always fresh-tasting and when we snap a pic for the IG, the likes roll in. Scoff at us? Please, you are green with envy.

Bao Ong edits and writes about all things culinary, everything from restaurant openings and chefs to reviews and trend stories. Bao started his career as a newspaper reporter at the St. Paul Pioneer Press before moving to New York to attend culinary school. While training in the kitchen, he started blogging for one of the first major food blogs (RIP, The Strong Buzz) and worked for restaurant critic Gael Greene. Before Time Out, Bao was with Bon Appétit, where he was the research editor. He previously was the Weekend Fare columnist for The New York Times covering culinary events around the city and has contributed to Serious Eats, Travel + Leisure, Newsweek, Condé Nast Traveler and Gotham magazine, among others. When Bao isn't dining out or cooking, he's obsessed with tennis and plays competitively on a few leagues and the occasional tournament.

Bao has been with Time Out since 2019, and is the New York food and drink editor. Reach him at bao.ong@timeout.com or connect with him on Twitter @baohaus or Instagram @baohaus.